ITU’s bid for paratriathlon’s inclusion in Rio 2016 is successful

International Triathlon Union (ITU) has been successful in its bid to be included in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Following the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board meeting in China today, paratriathlon will be added to the programme of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in September 2016.



A total of seven sports were bidding to be added to the existing programme of twenty Paralympic sports – and both paratriathlon and paracanoeing have been added to the programme. Paratriathlon attracted significant support from elite and amateur triathletes, Olympians, World Champions and almost every National Federation member of International Triathlon Union, which was demonstrated through a range of commitments and actions, including ITU’s ‘Back the Bid: Paratriathlon for the Paralympics’ campaign.



Britain already has a strong reputation in the sport having won four gold medals at September's ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Budapest. Jane Egan, Faye McClelland, Charlotte Ellis and Iain Dawson all claimed gold medals in their respective classes with former Paralympic swimmer Clare Cunningham also winning silver behind McClelland.



World and European Champion, McClelland, commented: “Having the opportunity to compete at the Paralympic Games has been a dream of mine for many years. The Paralympics is the ultimate accomplishment for disability sport and I am absolutely motivated and excited by the potential to race along the Copacabana in the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016.”



British Triathlon President and ITU Vice President and Executive Board Representative of the ITU Paratriathlon Committee, Dr Sarah Springman OBE, said: “Paratriathlon combines three of the major sports already on the programme and I’m thrilled that Paratriathletes will now join other Paralympians in Rio 2016.”



“ITU put together a great submission built on fabulous athletes, a spectacular and TV friendly event combined with rapid growth, and demonstrated passion and intent to persuade the IPC Governing Board that Paratriathlon would enhance the Paralympic programme. ITU is now implementing development programmes for athletes, coaches and events, and the training of new classifiers from around the world has been added to a new Classification System.”